Rafa Benitez takes his Newcastle coaches on sightseeing tour of the North East – showing why Georgie fans love him

Championship leaders' boss visits ancient landmarks like castle, cathedral and uni as he hopes to make his own history

By IAN TUCKEY

23rd November 2016, 9:30 pm

Updated: 24th November 2016, 12:35 am

RAFA BENITEZ has taken a trip back hundreds of years - to help him make his own history.

The Newcastle boss took three of the Championship leaders' coaches on a sightseeing tour of the North East.

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Rafa Benitez chats to a new keeper as he visits parts of the castle in the city centre

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid chief's impressive rapport with Toon fans will surely be cemented by his expedition to landmarks like the church, cathedral and Durham University.

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Benitez took fellow Spaniards - fitness coach Francisco de Miguel Moreno and first-team coaches Mikel Antia and Antonio Gomez Perez - for a bracing tour on a day off.

And at the castle keep in the city centre they were greeted by a member of staff wearing full armour.

Benitez looked out upon sweeping views of Newcastle and said: "It is a wonderful, historic place at the very heart of the 'old' Newcastle which really gave me a feeling for this city and its history and the fact that the city name originated from this Castle in medieval times."

The Toon foursome also visited the 20-metre tall Angel of the North - the first thing most visitors see as they enter Tyneside along the A1 or A167.

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Benitez learns more about the ancient past in the season he wants to make modern history